There's a beautiful book by the awesome Oliver Jeffers, called 'The Heart and the Bottle', the essence of which is the idea that we have to be connected to our feelings through our emotional 'heart' and, if we try to detach that heart from our very being, we simply cannot feel - at least that's how I interpret it anyway. It reminds me of a story I used to teach called 'The Warlock's Hairy Heart' by J.K. Rowling, although that's a bit more bloody and gruesome: probably not one for the smalls.
Anyway, the reason I am rambling on about these stories (and at risk of slipping into 'teacher-mode') is because at the weekend, I had a really lovely day. My intention is not to be Mrs Smug of Smugsville - if that is how I am coming across, please take comfort from the fact that there were at least three epic toddler tantrums and a not-so-near miss with some dog poo - but more to try and capture a moment. I'm a firm believer in the mantra that 'nothing is permanent', be it good or bad and sometimes, I wish I could take those lovely moments, and a bit like the heart in Jeffers' book, just bottle them.
Instead, I capture them in photographs, albeit, on my trusty iPhone and with no skill whatsoever. However, I'm also making a conscious effort not to stage and fixate on photos, for fear of missing that moment and separating it from my heart. Saturday afternoon in a gloriously sunny Brighton was the perfect back-drop to some spontaneous snapping, but I also made sure that my heart and soul actually felt and connected to the bright sunshine, the breezy beach, the madness of the pier and the sheer joy on Dexter's face. And my stomach definitely connected to the delicious dinner at Yum Yum Ninja. Now if only I could bottle the taste of their duck pancakes and beef skewers...
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